Characteristics of the EHC patient population: A) Sex, relationship status, income, health coverage, additional diagnoses, and strategies for dealing with health problems; B) age, life stresses, health services usage, paid work hours, and average value of dwellings.
| DIAGNOSES, N (% WITHIN DIAGNOSIS) | |||||||||
| A) CHARACTERISTICS | MCS ONLY N = 41 | CFS ONLY N = 26 | FM ONLY N = 11 | CFS, FM N = 27 | MCS, CFS N = 8 | MCS, FM N = 4 | MCS, CFS, FM N = 11 | ≥ 2 DIAGNOSES N = 50 | TOTAL N = 128 |
| Sex | |||||||||
| • Female | 35 (85.4) | 18 (69.2) | 9 (81.8) | 27 (100.0) | 8 (100.0) | 4 (100.0) | 10 (90.9) | 49 (98.0) | 111 (86.7) |
| • Male | 6 (14.6) | 8 (30.8) | 2 (18.2) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (9.1) | 1 (2.0) | 17 (13.3) |
| Relationship status | |||||||||
| • Single | 15 (36.6) | 10 (38.5) | 1 (9.1) | 7 (25.9) | 2 (25.0) | 1 (25.0) | 5 (45.5) | 15 (30.0) | 41 (32.0) |
| • Divorced, separated, or widowed | 8 (19.5) | 2 (7.7) | 4 (36.4) | 6 (22.2) | 1 (12.5) | 1 (25.0) | 2 (18.2) | 10 (20.0) | 24 (18.8) |
| • Married or cohabitating | 18 (43.9) | 14 (53.8) | 6 (54.5) | 14 (51.9) | 5 (62.5) | 2 (50.0) | 4 (36.4) | 25 (50.0) | 63 (49.2) |
| Source of income | |||||||||
| • None stated | 15 (36.6) | 9 (34.6) | 4 (36.4) | 10 (37.0) | 4 (50.0) | 3 (75.0) | 8 (72.7) | 25 (50.0) | 53 (41.4) |
| • Disability benefits | 7 (17.1) | 8 (30.8) | 4 (36.4) | 11 (40.7) | 3 (37.5) | 1 (25.0) | 3 (27.3) | 18 (36.0) | 37 (28.9) |
| • Paid employment | 19 (46.3) | 9 (34.6) | 3 (27.3) | 6 (22.2) | 1 (12.5) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 7 (14.0) | 38 (29.7) |
| Health coverage | |||||||||
| • No coverage | 13 (31.7) | 8 (30.8) | 4 (36.4) | 5 (18.5) | 5 (62.5) | 4 (100.0) | 1 (9.1) | 15 (30.0) | 40 (31.3) |
| • Drug and some extended benefits | 14 (34.1) | 8 (30.8) | 0 (0.0) | 9 (33.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (27.3) | 12 (24.0) | 34 (26.6) |
| • Comprehensive coverage | 14 (34.1) | 10 (38.5) | 7 (63.6) | 13 (48.1) | 3 (37.5) | 0 (0.0) | 7 (63.6) | 23 (46.0) | 54 (42.2) |
| Common additional diagnoses | |||||||||
| • Depression | 11 (26.8) | 7 (26.9) | 4 (36.4) | 13 (48.1) | 5 (62.5) | 0 (0.0) | 4 (36.4) | 22 (44.0) | 44 (34.4) |
| • Irritable bowel syndrome | 9 (22.0) | 4 (15.4) | 2 (18.2) | 11 (40.7) | 2 (25.0) | 1 (25.0) | 6 (54.5) | 20 (40.0) | 35 (27.3) |
| • Food sensitivities | 13 (31.7) | 4 (15.4) | 4 (36.4) | 4 (14.8) | 4 (50.0) | 2 (50.0) | 4 (36.4) | 14 (28.0) | 35 (27.3) |
| • Sleep disorder | 6 (14.6) | 8 (30.8) | 8 (72.7) | 7 (25.9) | 2 (25.0) | 1 (25.0) | 1 (9.1) | 11 (22.0) | 33 (25.8) |
| • Nutritional deficiencies | 7 (17.1) | 5 (19.2) | 4 (36.4) | 7 (25.9) | 3 (37.5) | 3 (75.0) | 2 (18.2) | 15 (30.0) | 31 (24.2) |
| • Anxiety disorder | 2 (4.9) | 4 (15.4) | 1 (9.1) | 5 (18.5) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (18.2) | 7 (14.0) | 14 (10.9) |
| Strategies for dealing with health problems | |||||||||
| • None identified | 1 (2.4) | 4 (15.4) | 2 (18.2) | 1 (3.7) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (9.1) | 2 (4.0) | 9 (7.0) |
| • Avoiding triggers | 21 (51.2) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (9.1) | 5 (18.5) | 4 (50.0) | 2 (50.0) | 4 (36.4) | 15 (30.0) | 37 (28.9) |
| • Rest | 2 (4.9) | 14 (53.9) | 2 (18.2) | 13 (48.2) | 2 (25.0) | 1 (25.0) | 4 (36.4) | 20 (40.0) | 38 (29.7) |
| DIAGNOSES, MEAN (SD) | |||||||||
| B) CHARACTERISTICS | MCS ONLY N = 41 | CFS ONLY N = 26 | FM ONLY N = 11 | CFS, FM N = 27 | MCS, CFS N = 8 | MCS, FM N = 4 | MCS, CFS, FM N = 11 | ≥ 2 DIAGNOSES N = 50 | TOTAL N = 128 |
| Age, y | |||||||||
| • Current | 46.5 (11.0) | 45 (21) | 56 (14) | 45.5 (13) | 38.5 (12) | 45.0 (11.0) | 41.0 (22) | 44 (11.0) | 44.6 (11.2) |
| • Stopped work (n = 87) | 45.4 (10.5) | 39.7 (17.1) | 53.9 (18.2) | 43.6 (14.2) | 33.9 (15.6) | 40.44 (9.3) | 38.9 (25.2) | 38.9 (10.2) | 41.6 (11.3) |
| • Symptom onset | 44.5 (11.4) | 39.6 (25.4) | 52.7 (17.0) | 41.3 (17.5) | 30.3 (12.9) | 45.3 (13.9) | 39.2 (22.3) | 36.8 (12.5) | 38.6 (12.8) |
| • Last felt well | 40.7 (13.1) | 39.5 (25.4) | 46.8 (17.0) | 41.1 (19.4) | 29.2 (14.7) | 37.7 (4.7) | 34.6 (21.6) | 34.9 (11.6) | 36.9 (12.6) |
| Count of life stresses | |||||||||
| • Before symptom onset | 4.5 (6.0) | 7 (10.0) | 7 (14.0) | 3.5 (5.0) | 11.0 (3) | 4.0 (3.0) | 4.0 (8.0) | 5.0 (4.0) | 6.0 (4.0) |
| • After symptom onset | 3.0 (3.0) | 5.0 (5.5) | 8.0 (9.0) | 2.5 (6.0) | 9.0 (12.0) | 9.0 (6.0) | 2.0 (5.0) | 5.0 (4.0) | 4.0 (7.0) |
| Health services usage | |||||||||
| • No. of visits to FP or GP in past 12 mo | 6.7 (4.2) | 9.0 ( 6.4) | 11.8 (2.5) | 13.7 (7.7) | 8.0 (7.9) | 16.5 (5.0) | 16.3 (15.5) | 12.0 (10.0) | 10.7 (8.7) |
| • No. of visits to any other physician in past 12 mo | 16.1 (20.5) | 4.4 (5.1) | 10.4 (8.7) | 18.7 (9.9) | 5.3 (5.8) | 6.5 (6.4) | 25.9 (36.7) | 14.0 (18.0) | 13.7 (18.2) |
| Hours of paid work/wk (n = 125) | 16.7 (19.3) | 9.5 (16.3) | 3.8 (10.9) | 5.6 (12.7) | 4.4 (12.4) | 0 (0.0) | 3.2 (10.6) | 4.4 (11.5) | 9.4 (16.2) |
| Census average value of dwellings, $ (n = 125) | 241 146 (146 409) | 216 705 (167 875) | 173 353 (81 628) | 225 820 (129 068) | 266 649 (70 609) | 135 170 (103 937) | 242 078 (170 125) | 227 645 (130 741) | 225 020 (140 765) |
CFS–chronic fatigue syndrome, EHC–Environmental Health Clinic, FM–fibromyalgia, MCS–multiple chemical sensitivity.